Tips for Making an Inexpensive Comforter

If you thought making a comforter for your bed was difficult, here’s a secret. It really isn’t. Besides that, in today’s economy, making a bed quilt is a good way to recycle an old comforter while still updating your home. Here are a couple tips.

Use 60″ Wide Fabric
Most home decorating fabric (the stuff you see on the largest bolts in the sewing shop) is 60 inches wide. This is important because that way you can use an entire piece across, without putting a seam right down the middle of your comforter. In the picture above, notice how I have one piece of material across the top, and a different colored material sewn to it to create the sides? This allows for a cleaner look with your comforters.

Reuse an Old Comforter as Stuffing
Got an old comforter that’s perfectly good but doesn’t match anything you own anymore? Use it to “stuff” your new quilt. To do this, sew up three sides of the comforter, leaving one end open. Place the old comforter in, and smooth until it lays flat. Then, use a piece of yarn or sew a small stitch in several different spots of the comforter to make sure the old comforter doesn’t slip.

Use Different Materials to Save Money
You might have a few scraps of material you’d like to use on your new comforter as I have done in the above photo. I bought one large piece on sale (that’s the yellow material in the middle) and had the blue striped material on hand. I didn’t have enough material to sew an entire new comforter, but I did have enough to finish up the sides. I think you’ll agree, this can look very interesting on a bed comforter, without giving it too much of a “quilt” look (if you’re going for something more modern.)

Bed comforters are all straight sewing. No funky lines or special stitches needed. If you don’t have a comforter than goes to the floor, don’t worry. I don’t have that for the one I made above, either. Instead, get a bed skirt (I paid $7 for this one at Walmart) to complete the look.

Image: Cherie Burbach